Report: Texas A&M hires West Virginia QB coach Spavital
After working with some high-caliber quarterbacks at Oklahoma State and West Virginia, Jake Spavital is moving on to coach another top-notch player at that position, the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner.
Spavital will become the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator at Texas A&M, CBSSports.com reported. His pupil there with be sophomore-to-be Johnny Manziel.
For the past two seasons, Spavital served as the quarterbacks coach at West Virginia. He tutored Geno Smith, who threw 73 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions and topped 8,500 passing yards during that time. Smith is projected as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Spavital, 27, told Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen on Thursday night that he was taking the Texas A&M job, according to CBSSports.com.
"I am grateful for the opportunity that Dana has given me in my career," Spavital said. "And I'm excited to get to A&M and continue with the success that they've had."
Spavital is expected to share offensive coordinator duties with A&M running backs coach Clarence McKinney, who was in charge of the Aggies' offense during the Cotton Bowl game against Oklahoma.
Before going to West Virginia, Spavital was on the staff at Oklahoma State and worked with Brandon Weeden, who is now with the Cleveland Browns.
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin is filling the vacancy left by Kliff Kingsbury, who took the head-coaching job at Texas Tech in December. Spavital was previously a graduate assistant under Sumlin at Houston.
